Something Dark is Coming
by Aileen O'Neill
Summary: A fight between Abby and Marcus leads to desastrous consequences, leaving both of them guilty, miserable and most of all, broken. "Too many drinks. Way too many drinks. Stronger than what they were used to. Both were responsible, both knew what they were doing when they poured cup after cup. Both said things that would never be forgotten."
1. Chapter 1

**Many thanks to EliseLiv (Ao3) / johwatsons (Tumblr) for correcting this fiction, I love you dear 3**

* * *

He laid down on the dirt with nothing but a thin blanket to keep him warm for the winter night. Hands behind his back, his eyes traveled between the many stars he could see through the leaves. He had always enjoyed watching them, first on the Ark, then on Earth, their familiarity reassuring him in the darkest of times. Tonight however, tonight they didn't offer any comfort. They couldn't fill in the void that was now in his heart. They couldn't prevent the deep sorrow that threatened to overthrow him. They couldn't make him alive again. Nothing could. Except...

He pried his eyes away from the stars and turned on his side. His hands were still covered in blood. His blood. The pain was gone, long gone. It helped him, to focus on something else, to let his mind drift away, far away. Exhausted, he still struggled to keep the sleep away, afraid of what awaited him if he didn't. Afraid of what twisted memories lingered in the shadows of his head.

His first night alone. No one walking in the corridors on the other side of the door, no one wandering between the tents. No one cuddled under his arm. No human warmth but his own.

 _Too many drinks. Way too many drinks. Stronger than what they were used to. Both were responsible, both knew what they were doing when they poured cup after cup. Both said things that would never be forgotten._

 _They should have known, when the subject of Jake's death was brought up, that they better stop before things got too heated. Anger fueled their words, they didn't think anymore, they didn't understand the impact of their own words._

 _''Don't you dare put the blame on me ! You were the one who sold him out, he would still be alive if you had kept your mouth shut ! No wonder Clarke - ''_

 _The strenght of the slap made him take a few steps back. He barely even registered it as he saw tears fill her eyes._

He had deserved it. He deserved every single thing she had said. The shocklashing was nothing compared to the pain he had put her through. His breathing quickened at the thought, he felt sick. He tried to calm down but his muscles kept shaking. Nausea hit him. He managed to get up and move away before crouching down and emptying the contents of his stomach.

 _His hand balled into a fist. He never had any issues with punching people out of anger, men or women, but this was different. Abby was different. He couldn't bare to see her like this. He turned away. The apology was on his lips._

 _''I'm out of here.''_

 _This wasn't was he intended to say. This wasn't what he intended to do. Yet, here he was, throwing things in his bag, ready to leave everything and everyone behind._

 _He flinched as her harsh words hit the mark. His eyes itched from trying to keep his emotions in check. He couldn't let her see how much it affected him, how much it hurt him, how much it destroyed him._

A loud thunderclap startled him, heavy rain started to pour on the small hill. The moon was no longer visibile, its light faint and weak, making it hard to see past the treeline. The dirt became mud, the wind blew on his soaked clothes. He sat still, his back and head resting against a tree stump, too numb to move and find a shelter. Too numb to feel the hands suddenly on his cheeks.

* * *

She let her hands wander on his chest before settling on his heart, reassured by the strong beat under her skin. She snapped her fingers in front of his face, called his name several times, to no avail. She sighed, bitting her lower lip in concentration.

Looking around, she found his pack and rummaged through it. No tent. A curse escaped her lips. Stupid man. Stupid man who wouldn't be in this situation if she hadn't made him. Guilt took over her, she closed her eyes, unable to face the consequences of her actions.

 _He hurt her. Her only reply was to fight back just as hard, to pain him just as much. She knew what she was saying, she was in control. She knew what would tear him apart. Her face expressionless, she uttered words that would break him._

 _''How can you even face yourself after everything you did ? All these deaths, all these people you murdered ! It's on you and you alone ! Your mother must have hated you ! You dishonored everything she ever taught you !''_

 _Her tongue burned. She watched as he looked at the ground, jumping every time her voice went up. Good._

Her own pack only had a sleeping bag she had thought of bringing when she hurried after him, desperate to apologize and make things return the way they were before. She got up and set it under a willow tree. The thunder seemed to be away enough for it to be safe, though the rain still had to lessen.

In her haste to get back to Marcus, she stumbled in the mud and fell forward. Hands and knees on the ground, she lost it. Pain filled sobs shook her body, tears running down her already wet face. She screamed. She let everything out. She couldn't hold back anymore. Not after what happened. Not after what she had done.

 _He disappeared in the dark forest. He was gone. He was not coming back. She took the time to calm down, to sit and take a deep breath. Minutes stretched in a hour. Her eyes wandered around the tent she shared - she had shared - with him. He was everywhere, from the sweater on the top of a chair to the book he had been reading, Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens._

 _That's when she realized what just happened. What they had both done. She got up so quickly that she lost her balance and fell back on the bed. She wanted to lie down and forget everything, to close her eyes and dream. Dream about the feeling of his warm hand on her naked back, of his fingers in her hair, of his breath on her lips, of his skin against hers. Dream of the smiles they shared, of the sweet scent of the other's body._

 _Once more, she stood up, ready to run after him._

She didn't move for a while. Sobs still gripped her forever damaged heart, she couldn't stop. She tried to get up, but didn't have the strength and ended up face down in the mud. She coughed. So tired...

She raised her head, taking a last look at Marcus's still limp figure, before muttering a few words for the wind to take away.

''I'm sorry...''


	2. Chapter 2

He climbed up the highest tree he could find. Branch after branch, he kept going until he settled on the top. Behind Mount Weather, the sun was slowly making its way down the sky, and he smiled slightly at the bright colors, shades of orange and purple. Clouds heavy with rain still lingered above him, making it impossible for his clothes to dry.

He stayed here, just enjoying the landscape before him. Mind empty, he let himself relax for the first time since his departure, forgetting about the way his wet clothes stuck to his body, about the cold that wouldn't leave his chest, about the pounding in his head. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the soft scent of leaves, flowers and grass. Eyelids heavy, muscles aching, he fell into a uneasy sleep.

 _He crouched down beside Abby, who still had to move. She was freezing. He turned her on her back and brushed away stands of mud-covered hair. Brows furrowed, lines of worry between her eyes, she looked as beautiful as always. He took a moment just to admire her again, as he had done so many times before, then leapt into action._

 _One arm behind her shoulders and one beneath her knees, he lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the sleeping bag. He sat next to her and positioned himself so that her head was on his lap. He bent forward, placing a light kiss on her forehead, his thumb slowly caressing her cheek._

 _Her skin felt like home. Her skin was home._

Marcus opened his eyes. Something was wrong. He looked around him, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. He still sat on a branch, his back against the trunk of the large tree. Night had fallen, moonlight allowing him to observe the sleeping forest.

A crackling noise. His breath caught in his throat. He tensed, every muscle still as he waited for another sound. It came, a while after, but not as he had expected it.

It was a song. A lullaby. One he knew very well.

The night winds are sighing,

Go to sleep, baby,

The crickets are crying ;

Sleep 'til the dew

On the green grass is winking

Sleep 'til the morning sun,

Wakens you blinking.

He hummed the tone while climbing down. His mother used to sing it to him every night, just after telling him stories of how magnificent Earth was. She would sat on his bed, allowing him to rest his back against her chest. He remembered the feeling of her soft humming vibrating through him, of her hand in his hair, of her cheek on the top of his head. He remembered how he would sing the end with her, and her smile as she got up, tucked him in and kissed him good night.

His voice was hoarse, still he sang, in tune with the other.

Warm in their woolly folds,

Lambkins are resting,

Soft in their swaying beds,

Birdies are nesting ;

All through the night,

In your cradle lie dreaming,

'Til the bright sun

Through the window comes

Streaming.

He followed it. He walked without thinking, straight forward. Seeing but not watching.

Suddenly feeling very hot, he threw off his jacket, letting it fall to the ground. It didn't help. He was sweating. The last part of the song started to fade in the distance, and he took off running. He didn't know why it was so important, what drew him to it, but he ran. He wasn't fast. His body was too weak and he soon was out of breath. He kept going.

Off in the distance,

A hoot owl is calling,

Into sweet dreams,

Little babes should be falling ;

Hush-a-bye, baby,

It's time you were sleeping,

'Til rays of sunlight

At morning come creeping.

He came to a stop just as the song ended. He leaned on a tree for support. His vision began to blur, he couldn't focus. What was happening to him ?

''You're quite the man now, son.''

He turned around so fast he fell backwards. No one. A man's voice he didn't recognize, yet so familiar. He shivered.

''A shame it is, that you turned out so bad.''

A knock in his stomach. He could feel pearls of sweat run down his back and face. Another shiver, not of fever but fear. He didn't understand what was going on, and it frightened him more than anything. More than it should.

''He's right, you know.''

This time, a vague figure appeared.

''Mom ?''

She nodded, smiling. Yet, it wasn't her usual, kind smile, but a twisted one. The look she was giving him wasn't one of love and fondness.

''You left me to die. You didn't save me. You didn't save anyone, you killed them. You killed them for your own liking.''

She took a step forward. He moved back. He shook his head to protest, covered his hears with his hands to stop the flow of words. It didn't work. He brought his legs up to his chest, head in his arms. Reduced to a quivering mass.

Something brushed against his shoulder. A worry voice followed.

''Marcus ?''

Relief flood through his veins. Abby. He looked up to meet a pair of brown eyes.

''You're okay ?''

He nodded. He extended an arm for her to help him to his feet, but she didn't take it. He got up, still unsteady but ready to go.

''What was that ?''

It should have surprised him. It didn't.

''You saw it too ?''

''Yes. You're not crazy, Marcus.''

He knew he wasn't. He hoped he wasn't. She didn't ask any other question and began to walk away. He followed her, afraid to say something, afraid of what would come out of his mouth. They walked in silence for several minutes.

A bang of pain shot through his right ear and cheek. An arrow. It flew by him, scraping his skin, to finish its course in a nearby tree. Grounder territory. He shook his head, clearing his view, aware of his surrroundings for the first time since he woke up.

He looked around. Abby had disappeared.

* * *

Gunshots startled her. She took off towards the sound, dropping her bag to the ground. She ran past a black jacket, barely noticing it.. Arrows were on the ground, in the trees.

 _When she woke up, she was in her underwears, the sleeping bag carefully tucked around her. Instantly, she guessed what had happened. The last thing she remembered was his dark form slumped against a tree stump, and now he was gone. Again._

 _It still rained, though not as hard as the night before. The willow tree she was under did a good job, allowing her clothes to partly dry. She got up and put them on, shivering at the cold material. She couldn't afford to waste more time. She didn't know how much time had passed since Marcus had woken up, what she did know was that she needed to hurry if she wanted to catch up with him._

 _He was stubborn, so was she._

That's when she found him. Lying on his back, three arrows in the chest. Three arrows. Blood. There was blood everywhere. Around him, on him. Everywhere it shouldn't be. It tainted his clothes, his skin.

 _She grinned against his lips._

She stepped closer. His mouth was partly open, grasping for air. A lung was pierced. Her body beginning to shake, she fell to her knees by his side.

''Marcus ?''

Her voice was barely a whisper, yet he heard her. He turned his head, his eyes locking with hers. He tried to say something but his quick and shallow breathing wouldn't allow him.

 _His hands found their way up to her cheeks._

She knew then. She knew there was nothing she could do. She knew that he was dying and that she would be witnessing every witnessing every moment of it.

She felt something brush against her. She looked down to see his hand searching for hers. She took it, giving it a slight squeeze. Until the end.

''I'm here, I'm here.''

The soothing words muttered in his ear didn't help. She felt him spasm in pain, he let out a small moan.

 _She embraced the warm feeling of his strong arms around her back._

Another attempt. He opened his mouth again. This time, blood flooded out of it. A lot of blood. He coughed, sending red drops on her face.

''Shhh, don't try to talk, it's okay.''

No, it wasn't okay. No, he wanted to talk. He needed to tell her something. She had to know.

 _He whispered loving words in her ear, his breath hot on her skin._

''In peace, may you leave the shore.''

Pain and panic hit him when he realized that he wouldn't be able to tell her, that his last words would be ones of hate.

Tears washed the blood off of her face.

She tried to calm him but he seemed beyond the point of understanding her. He was too far gone.

''In love may you find the next.''

 _Her heart melted at the sight of his boyish smile._

She brought her lips to his, ignoring the strong iron taste. She welcomed one last time the familiar feeling, her other hand gently stroking his hair. When she moved, his eyes were closed, his heartbeat nothing more than a faint thump.

''Safe passage on your travels,''

Her forehead was against his. He focused on the warmth she was offering him, vainly trying to breathe the pain away. Everything hurt. The worse was his heart. He could feel how every weak beat sent the blood in his body, out of his body. He could feel the shards left by sharp, loathing words.

 _He laughed as her long hair tickled his stomach._

''Unti our final journey to the ground.''

His eyes remained closed despite his desperate longing to see her face again. One last time. To get just a glimpse of her delicate features, a final reminder to carry with him for his new journey.

 _She rubbed her nose against his._

A few tears fell on his face, running down his chin to return to the ground. She didn't want to end the prayer. She had to, for him and for her. A final goodbye. No. A promise.

''May we meet again''

His grip loosened.

She let his hand slide down her wrist. There was no point in holding him back anymore.

His hand fell just as grounders surrounded her.


End file.
